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Doing a background check can save a lot of headaches and hassle in the long run, especially if you\u2019re looking to hire a new employee. Looking into the past of a prospective employee has become a standard part of modern employment screening, but what are you looking for, and how do you do it? More importantly, is it legal? Read more to learn about employment background checks.<\/p>\n
Key Takeaways<\/b><\/p>\n There are many different types of background checks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Background checks are often done by prospective employers, but they can be done for a wide variety of people.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n It is a good idea for an employer to do a background check to protect their company and their employees.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n There are some illegal questions and background check areas for employers.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Employers can do a background check themselves, or they can hire a company that specializes in doing them.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n A background check means that someone is looking into the history of an individual. There are several different aspects to a background check<\/a> and several reasons people might be looking at another person\u2019s background.<\/p>\n In many situations, the person who is doing the checking wants to know more about how the individual in question has behaved in the past. This might include their financial situation, their legal history, marital status, and more.<\/p>\n There are a wide variety of background checks that people perform, and each one gives them different information. Some possible background checks include:<\/p>\n Criminal history.<\/b> Criminal records for adults are public records and knowing someone\u2019s history with the law can be beneficial in a variety of situations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Sexual offender status.<\/b> This falls under someone\u2019s criminal history, but it can be that the person doing the check doesn\u2019t care if a new neighbor has speeding tickets; they\u2019re solely concerned about their children\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Past employment.<\/b> Employers are definitely interested in someone\u2019s employment history, and this is a common part of employment screening.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Education.<\/b> Checking someone\u2019s educational claims is important to many employers, and it can be important to other people too.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Military history.<\/b> Just like knowing what someone\u2019s employment and educational background is, knowing their military history is important information as well.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Credit check.<\/b> Some employers do credit checks, but you\u2019re more likely to encounter this type of background check when applying for a loan.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Social media behavior.<\/b> This may surprise some people, but employers are doing quite a lot of social media checks before hiring someone. It won\u2019t surprise people that acquaintances do social media checks all the time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Identity checks.<\/b> Unfortunately, checking someone\u2019s driver\u2019s license and social security has become necessary to make sure they are who they claim to be.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Professional licenses and certifications check.<\/b> Whether you\u2019re an employer or a customer, checking to make sure someone has the appropriate licenses is totally valid.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n That\u2019s a vast number of background checks, and there are even more. These tend to be the most common ones people use.<\/p>\n Interestingly, just about anyone can do a background check on someone else \u2013 at least to some degree. Some information is private and not readily accessible. To get this information, you\u2019ll need to get authorization from the person who is being checked out. But some of the basic information like social media and criminal records is easy to find online. So, who is doing background checks?<\/p>\n Employers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Landlords<\/p>\n<\/li>\n People hiring contract workers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Parents hiring childcare providers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Neighbors<\/p>\n<\/li>\n New romantic partners<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Old friends and acquaintances<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Parents checking on their children<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Adoption agencies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pet adoption agencies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Banks and other lending institutions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Credit card companies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Certain licensing companies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Educational centers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The list of people who are now performing some type of background check grows regularly. There are even gamer checks for people who are involved in video gaming.<\/p>\n Most people will have at least one in-depth background check in their lives, usually by an employer. They may have several of them throughout their life but having one done by an employer is commonplace.<\/p>\n For employers, doing a background check is just a smart business. They can face serious liability issues if they don\u2019t do their due diligence and make sure that they\u2019re making a good hire. Some of the best reasons employers should do background checks include:<\/p>\n Keep workplace and other employees safe<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ensure the employee has the skills and education necessary<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Increase the likelihood of a good hire<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Reduce losses due to bad hires<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Deepen the knowledge of an individual through multiple sources<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Verify information provided<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Look for a conflict of interest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Compare characteristics of desirable candidates to past actions<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n It might seem unfair to some people to be judged on their past actions, but the employer is doing the best they can to ensure they\u2019re hiring great people<\/a> for their company.<\/p>\n Before learning the steps of performing a background check, it\u2019s important to understand what you can and can\u2019t review. Employers cannot ask anyone for their medical information if they haven\u2019t offered them the job. They also cannot ask for genetic information and information that could be tied to family medical history.<\/p>\n All candidates that have an equal chance of getting the job need to be asked the same questions and have the same background checks. Otherwise, you open yourself to the risk of being sued for discrimination<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
What Is a Background Check?<\/h2>\n
Types of Background Checks<\/h2>\n
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Who Does Background Checks?<\/h2>\n
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Why Should an Employer Do a Background Check?<\/h2>\n
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Illegal Background Checks for Employers<\/h2>\n